This Spanish potato salad, known as Ensaladilla Rusa, is one of Spain´s most classic dishes. It´s packed with flavors, super easy to make and done in just 40 minutes. You can serve it at room temperature or even chilled. Truly, the perfect potato salad for any time of the year.
What makes this potato salad stand out above the rest, besides its beautiful presentation, is that you flavor the mayonnaise with garlic, to make it a garlic mayo aioli. This really elevates the flavors of the potato salad and takes it to the next-level.
It´s very important to use potatoes here that are a bit more waxy than starchy. That way when you boil the potatoes, they hold their shape and won´t fall apart. I used new potatoes, but you can also use yukon gold, golden delight or even red potatoes.
TIPS & TRICKS to Make this Recipe: You want to boil the potatoes just until they are cooked through, kind of like al dente, about 15 to 17 minutes. If you over-boil your potatoes, they will get mushy, and you will end up with mashed potato salad.
Key Ingredients & Cookware I used in this Recipe:
MY NONSTICK FRY PAN
EXTRA VIRGIN SPANISH OLIVE OIL
SPANISH SEA SALT
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Watch the Video Below on How to Make this Spanish Potato Salad
Spanish Potato Salad | Ensaladilla Rusa
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 lbs waxy potatoes 1 kilogram
- 1 carrot
- 4 cage-free organic eggs
- 1/2 cup frozen peas 75 grams
- 2 shallots
- 2 jarred roasted red bell peppers
- 10 pimento stuffed green olives
- 1 cup low-fat mayonnaise 230 grams
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 tsp lemon juice 5 ml
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 15 ml
- pinch sea salt
- dash black pepper
Instructions
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Peel & wash the potatoes, cut them into small 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) pieces, add them into a stockpot, along with 1 peeled carrot, fill with cold water, about 1 inch (2.50 cm) above the potatoes, season generously with sea salt and heat with a high heat
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Meanwhile, add 4 eggs into a sauce pan, fill with cold water, to about 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) above the eggs, place a metal sieve over the sauce pan, add in 1/2 cup frozen peas, heat with a high heat, once the water comes to a boil and the peas are tender from the steam, remove and set aside, place a lid on the sauce pan and turn off the heat, let the eggs sit between 11 to 12 minutes to end up with perfectly hard boiled eggs
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About 15 to 17 minutes after turning on the heat on the potatoes, they should be perfectly cooked through along with the carrot, just pierce them with a toothpick, if it easily goes in but with some resistance they are ready, do not over cook the potatoes, remove the stock pot from the heat and drain into a colander
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Meanwhile, make the garlic mayo aioli, add the 1 cup mayonnaise into a bowl, finely grate in 1 clove garlic, 1 tsp lemon juice, 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil and lightly season with sea salt & black pepper, whisk together until you end up with a creamy sauce, set aside
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Thinly slice the shallots, cut the roasted red bell peppers into strips, finely chop the boiled carrot and roughly chop the hard boiled eggs, reserving one of the egg yolks
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Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, add them into a large bowl, along with the chopped carrot, the steamed peas, the shallots and the chopped hard boiled eggs, season generously with sea salt & black pepper, add in the garlic mayo aioli and gently mix together until well mixed
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Transfer the potato salad into a serving dish, finely grate the reserved egg yolk over the salad, add the strips of roasted bell pepper over the salad and the olives, serve at room temperature or chilled, enjoy!
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03 . Apr . 2024Sharon
Just made this for the third time Albert, to serve alongside your Barcelona style cod (I’m not doing the white beans with the cod as I’ll have this potato salad.
I just want to add, while it’s clear you are very talented, you must be incredibly fast at prepping! I don’t think I go slow but each time I’ve made this potato salad, without stopping for breaks, the prep has taken me an hour. I don’t think I’ll ever manage it in the 20 minutes 😁
Thanks again – I tell EVERYONE I know about your website!
03 . Sep . 2022Spain on a Fork
lol…yeah I am pretty fast! Glad you enjoyed the potato salad! Much love 🙂
04 . Sep . 2022Sharon
Thank you so much for another fabulous recipe! This was a huge success and deliciously addictive. I’m already looking forward to making more and this will be my go to side dish for summer dinner parties and barbecues.
I’m delighted that I found your website, I’ve made so many of your dishes already and look forward to making many more in the future.
Thanks again, from Scotland 😊
08 . Aug . 2022Spain on a Fork
So happy to hear that Sharon!!! thanks for the comment 🙂 Much love
08 . Aug . 2022Marina
08 . Aug . 2022Bravo on another delicious and perfect recipe. I made it a few weeks ago for an Australian bbq here in Melbourne and everyone loved it! The flavours are out of this world and leave you wanting more, it’s very addictive (in the best way).
Spain on a Fork
So happy to hear that!!! Thanks for the comment 🙂 much love
08 . Aug . 2022David
24 . Jul . 2022I made this but swapped the mayo for Greek yogurt to save a few calories, and it was still great. Ate it as a side dish with grilled salmon, perfect summer food.
Spain on a Fork
Sounds great! Much love 🙂
25 . Jul . 2022A.M. Ruiz
24 . Jun . 2022I made this Ensaladilla Rusa! It was delicious and much easier to do than I thought – Yay!
Thank you sooo much for your great recipes!
Spain on a Fork
So happy to hear that! Thanks for the comment 🙂 Much love
25 . Jun . 2022Judith Trucios
I made the Lentil Stew. It was the best lentils that I have eaten , I will only , from now on, only eat lentils made this way. DELICIOUS,
19 . Jun . 2022Spain on a Fork
So happy to hear that! Thanks for the comment 🙂 much love
19 . Jun . 2022Sonia
Will tryvthis version for sure! But, was looking for tuna (atun) in the recipe….
17 . Jun . 2022Spain on a Fork
There are two different versions, the authentic one is without tuna, if you like it with tuna, just add in 2 tins of tuna (drained) 🙂 much love!
17 . Jun . 2022Ramya
cant wait to make this soon for me can i skip frozen peas as am not a big fan of frozen peas i never had spanish ensladilla rusa before perfect for my after office meals love your recipes as always brightens up my day everyday after work
17 . Jun . 2022Spain on a Fork
Sounds great Ramya! Have a good weekend 🙂 much love
17 . Jun . 2022